"Kalitta has been in eight finals this year and that's what enabled him to build such a big lead," Schumacher said. "If we want to catch him, we have to get him knocked out early and keep going rounds ourselves."

Heading into the O'Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 NHRA Nationals in Joliet, Ill., Kalitta held a 157-point lead in the top-fuel standings over Antron Brown, a former champion and Schumacher's teammate.

Shawn Langdon is third in the standings, followed by Spencer Massey and Schumacher, who won last weekend's New England Nationals.

Kalitta, 49, has finished second in the title standings three times, but his last runner-up finish was in 2006.

In funny cars — the National Hot Rod Assn.'s other 300-mph class — former champion Robert Hight holds a 254-point lead over Alexis DeJoria. Hight already has four wins this season and DeJoria is a two-time winner.